Still trying to catch up from Lotusphere, until I get to some more detailed posts here are 20 random thoughts from this years event.

1. Manta at Seaworld is an awesome ride.

2. My bathroom was the most photographed bathroom at Lotusphere.

3. Lotusphere beat Mat Newman in round one, but he came back with a knockout punch in round 2 (even if he did try to blame me)

4. Darren Duke did not permanently ruin any of my favorite songs at Kimonos this year.. thanks Darren

5. Never having eaten a Pretzel Cookie myself I am not sure I get the obsession, though until this year I though they were universally loved, now I know otherwise.

6. In a bar at 1:30 in the morning Paul Mooney is evil.

7. After a terrific year last year the WiFi was terrible this year – the positive side of that I live blogged less than I planned and enjoyed the sessions more as a result.

8. Ask the Product Managers  terrific again, good questions, some humor, and good information.  Ask the Developers, not so much I have tired of this session and rarely go anymore (hint if you have a specific, in depth technical question visit the Meet the Developer labs all week, don’t save it for Thursday afternoon).

9. Way too many things happening at the same time during the week, you have to make tough decisions what to attend and what to skip.

10. Vendor showcase had a different feel this year, less shirts then ever before, but good to see some new faces, and a number of vendors exhibiting solutions for IBM Connections.

11. The Droid X battery held up well during the week with help from this, I learned this week that when the battery meter goes red there is still plenty of life left.

12. Great guest speakers this year Michael J Fox, Tim Berners-Lee,  Dr. Burns from Childrens Hospital of Boston, Manoj Saxena GM of IBM Watson.  It was all going so well until the closing session.

13. Always make time to spend in the Innovation Labs at Lotusphere, what they are showing this year in the Innovation Lab has a good chance of being a product/feature next year.

14. Stuart McIntyre travels with a replica of the Death Star.

15. The Giants should play the Packers in the playoffs every year during Lotusphere.

16. 89 sleep deprived geeks drinking beer on the Disney Fantasia Gardens mini-golf course and for the fourth year in a row no one was hurt, nothing short of a miracle.

17. OK Go, LS12, LS12u and OGS all trending on Twitter.

18. Never watch a football game with Mat Newman the beers keep coming at you faster than a Pez Dispenser.

19. No Laptop… No Problem

20. No I didn’t really do this on Sunday I just sat for the picture.

Last years 20 Random Thoughts

Another Lotusphere is in the books. I have so many pictures and videos to sort through, session slides to download, notes to follow up on, and people to follow up with, but first sleep.

This was my 8th Lotusphere, and while I always appreciate the opportunity to attend, this year was a little different, and I am especially thankful I was able to attend Lotusphere 2012..

It is always hard to explain Lotusphere to those who have never been, part conference, part family reunion. It was incredible the number of people who stopped me this week, both friends, vendors, and complete strangers (as much as any lotusphere attendee can be a stranger) to offer words of encouragement and support over Elisa’s recent battle with cancer. All of your support is appreciated.

To my many friends who went out of your way to so something extra to make this past week just a little more special you know who you are. Thank you I miss you already.

My employer continues to see the value of Lotusphere and made attending possible again this year, thank you.

I said it before Lotusphere but thanks again to Elisa, and our support system our parents who made attending possible this year.

Big thanks to the weather for cooperating this year, no snow causing flight problems or creating one more thing to worry about at home.

Thanks to the Giants for winning their playoff game on Sunday one more little (OK big) thing that made the week more fun.

There is much more to be said and written about Lotusphere 2012 all of which will have to wait until after a lot of sleep, and the Giants game on Sunday.

Lots of Giants fans attending Lotusphere this year

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Live blog of IBM’s Cloud Strategy session at Lotusphere 2012, feel free to comment or ask questions I will do my best to answer.

Over the last few years while sitting in the Orlando Airport waiting for my flight home exhausted from the week that is Lotusphere I have taken a few moments to write a post thanking the people who did something to make that Lotusphere special and memorable for me.

The first person on that list is always my wife Elisa.  Every year I leave the (usually) cold, sometimes snowy northeast, and head for a week of warmth in Orlando.  In the meantime Elisa is home with three kids that over the past few years have either had vacation from school, or were home thanks to snow days.

This year is no different, and at the same time it is very different.  By now I think you all know that last June Elisa was diagnosed with breast cancer.  After a summer and fall of chemo, and surgery a week ago, Elisa is happily cancer free, but still recovering from surgery after which there is still radiation.

The only reason I am able to attend Lotusphere this year is because Elisa insisted that I go, even knowing that she would still be recovering from Surgery.

Thanks also go out to my parents and my in-laws who have been helping us out non stop through 20 weeks of chemo and again now during surgery and the recovery.   We definitely appreciate all the help you have given us, and there is no way I would be able to even think about going to Lotusphere with out knowing you would be here to help.

I am sure I will have my usual  Lotusphere thank you post on the way out of Orlando a week from now, but I wanted to thank Elisa for letting me go in this anything but normal year.  Next year you have to keep your promise to make the annual pilgrimage to Orlando with me.

Links

Elisa’s Blog

Lotusphere 2011 Departing Thoughts and Thanks

Farewell Lotusphere 2010 and Thank You

Some thoughts and Thank Yous on the way home and Lotusphere 2009